Kids discover the extent of their passion for animal care and conservation in the Junior Zoo Keeper program at the National Zoo & Aquarium. Photo: National Zoo and Aquarium.
For over 20 years, Canberra’s young animal lovers have been testing their mettle in the National Zoo & Aquarium’s Junior Zoo Keeper program, delving into the nitty, gritty – and sometimes icky – details of caring for animals.
While some come to realise (perhaps while cleaning out water bowls) animal care and conservation is not for them, others were hooked, line and sinker.
In fact, National Zoo Education Manager Jessica Cartwright says some of the National Zoo’s most dedicated keepers started in the program.
“When we do get into that nitty gritty, and they see what it takes to be a keeper, some kids are challenged in their love of animals,” she laughs.
“Somewhere between scrubbing out the water bowls and raking – those hands-on practicalities we’re not taught as much anymore – we see some kids go, ‘Nope’, and go into research, while others say, ‘Yep, this is where I want to be’.”
Available to school aged children from years three to 12, the Junior Zoo Keeper covers everything from enclosure design to animal enrichment, wellbeing, breeding and conservation, the preparation of appropriate diets and clean up after feeding.
Unlike the zoo’s other efforts to connect children to conservation, such as tours, school visits, clubs, experiences and ‘Kids Keeper for a Day’ program, the Junior Zoo Keeper program is a long-term commitment, running from February to November.
Four groups of 20 children, split into primary and high school ages, each attend seven three-hour sessions held monthly, as well as two events – Conservation Day and, as a final hurrah in November, a pizza and games event held at night in the zoo.
This sustained exposure gives children the chance to cover a wider, more diverse scope of the job.
“We’re a giant working bee when we come through, but it’s not all clean up duty,” Jess says.
“Practising patience is a skill that’s not always easy for kids, but we take the time to sit with the animals and just observe, and ask important questions about what they notice. What are the animals doing? Does it indicate they’re happy and healthy? We’ll sit and watch for 45 minutes, trying to figure out what’s ‘normal behaviour’.
“We’ll then take our data to do some research and figure out, ‘Are those behaviours typical? Have we seen them before? Are they behaviours we want to encourage and, if so, how do I create an environment where they can do that more?’
“One of the projects might then be to make forage boxes and track the results to see which are successful.”
With a focus on practicality, young participants are also given the chance to use the knowledge they’ve gained about animals, conservation and the natural world in real-life applications.
“Take our conservation day – some kids have the opportunity to create animal enrichment and their families can come and watch them give it to the animals,” Jess says.
“We had one kid whose dad was a plumber, so they used pipe offcuts to make a tunnel system we still use at the zoo today.
“Another made a swing system for our Siamangs, and their whole family went in and hung it up. They were able to watch these creatures joyfully play with a toy they’d spent months creating – a toy that’s still in our rotation today.”
Beyond the exploration of a career in zoo keeping and conservation, Jess says junior zoo keepers gain valuable life skills – in observation, collaboration and creative and critical thinking.
“It’s also a safe space for them to meet like-minded peers. Some have formed life-long friendships,” she says.
The 2025 Junior Zoo Keeper program has kicked off, but there are still limited spaces left for primary school children – visit the National Zoo & Aquarium for more information.
Loading ...
